The Silent Place

AN: I have to say, this practically wrote itself. Usually I have trouble with my epilogues but this was easy. Huh..

And let me just say....... I love Jasper! He completely amuses me as half the crap that comes out of his mouth is not planned. :)

Suggested Listening: Naturally by Selena Gomez; Today Was A Fairytale by Taylor Swift(yes I am guilty of listening to this! But I didn't actually find this until this was long since written, but I found I like how it goes with the end portion)

Epilogue: Hunch

Mello sifted from his position on the couch and turned the page of the book as he listened to the faint sounds of Jasper and Matt argue about something; more than likely it was game related.

Over the past few months Jasper had taken to playing with Matt on his various game consoles, and though he was a sore looser at times, seemed to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

He let a small smile drift onto his features and flipped another page.

They had their own house now. A certifiable mansion compared to what they were used to. But it was more than big enough to fit all of their addictions as well as for Jasper to have his own section.

It was a two story house. There was somewhere around six bedrooms, though Mello knew they would never need that many, three and a half baths, one large dining room, two living rooms and a nicely sized kitchen that Mello had fallen in love with.

There was also a sun room, which he was reading in, as well as a study converted into a game room where Jasper and Matt currently were. His smile faded just a little as he thought on Matt.

He had been acting a little peculiar for the past week though Mello could find no reason for it; and he doubted it had anything to do with their sometimes late night activities. His cheeks heated up and he sighed irritably.

He palmed his face and tried to rid himself of the blush. He wondered if he'd ever get over this stage again.

Though there were still many times when he simply did not wish for anyone, especially Matt, to touch him. But at least both of them were trying to fix the problem now.

Mello frowned as he realized he had sidetracked his own thoughts. His eyes scanned the words on the page more slowly and didn't bother to rush into the gaming room at the sound of a crash.

He had learned after the first time to just leave them to it.

But back to the matter at hand. Matt was acting strange, well strange for him. He seemed almost nervous. And what was worse Mello had a feeling Jasper knew what was going on, though it could have just been a hunch on his part as Jasper was generally good at guessing things.

Mello generally was as well, but with Matt it all went out the window. The damn gamer would find a way to deflect or distract him from his questions and he usually forgot what he had asked until later.

He doubted that it was anything serious; at least he didn't think so...

He sighed again and closed the book just as footsteps approached. He wasn't going to get any reading done at the moment. But it was probably for the best anyway. He did have to start cooking dinner soon.

He had no idea what had prompted the urge to cook that night, but the second he'd suggested it Jasper had jumped at the chance to help him, which had been odd as the man usually avoided the kitchen like it were the plague.

Mello believed that Jasper was generally too lazy to cook.

And though it felt odd, he wasn't about to turn down help. Well, so long as Jasper didn't mess anything up.

"Hey Mello." Matt greeted jovially as he swooped down for a kiss, which Mello allowed as he had been in a generally calm state of mind for the past while.

"Your boyfriend cheats. There is no way he can continuously win like that." Jasper complained.

"Right. Because the alternative is that you just suck." he mumbled and grinned slightly at the frown on Jasper's face though the elder male didn't comment further other than to glare at the redhead next to him.

"Well I'm going to go work on an important hack, have fun you two." Matt said as he walked, more like slouched, from the room. Mello shook his head and looked to Jasper who shrugged.

"Cooking I guess?" Jasper asked though he was already on his way to the kitchen by the time Mello actually got up. There was simply something odd about the way the two of them were acting, and it was beginning to seriously bug him that he couldn't fathom a reason why.

He descended the stairs and heard the soft clangs of metal as Jasper pulled the cookware from their hiding spots in the cupboards. Mello took the time, as Jasper set things up, to gather extra ingredients that he hadn't been able to set out earlier.

Jasper was actually surprisingly helpful in the kitchen, a fact that Mello was now going to exploit anytime he could manage it. Jasper seemed to realize this as he glowered at him from time to time as he passed him items or finished a task.

A while later he spooned up a small bit of sauce and tasted it but found that it was lacking something. He left the cover open while he went over to the walk in pantry and pulled out a small container.

He had obviously misjudged how much to put in it earlier.

He stirred the sauce once more and tasted it again, just to make sure it wasn't a simple case of not stirring in the ingredients enough, though he knew it wasn't. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around him and he started for a moment.

"Bastard..." he grumbled slightly as Matt's chin came to rest on his shoulder.

"How are things going?" Matt asked though he made no move to do anything to help, or do anything else for that matter.

"Fine. Jasper has now been promoted to kitchen aid whenever the whim strikes me. He's surprisingly useful." Mello commented as he released the wooden spoon and watched it swirl slightly before stopping to rest against the edge of the sauce pot.

Matt laughed at the annoyed grumble from across the room where Jasper was working on the desert.

Mello wondered if the announcement earlier about a hack had simply been an excuse for Matt to play games without being interrupted. If the redhead was truly in the middle of an important hack he wouldn't have been pried away from the laptop even if the house was falling down around him.

Matt moved his head and kissed his neck just as Mello opened the container to add a bit more salt to the boiling pot and he shivered as the sensitive skin tingled. The area where his scars rested was always more sensitive.

Matt gently nipped at the area and he nearly dropped the salt container into the sauce but managed not to at the last moment.

"Matt, stop molesting him and let him cook. I don't want to break out the jar sauce because you can't keep your hands or mouth to yourself." Matt snorted though did drift away from him a bit.

"Don't you have some work to do?" Jasper pressed. Matt stuck his tongue out, Mello caught it from the corner of is eye, and was given one last kiss as the redhead left the kitchen as quickly as he had entered it.

Mello almost wished he'd stayed though he knew dinner wouldn't have gotten completed if he had. The almost salt incident proved it.

"Wonder what he's actually doing...?" he heard Jasper mutter as he replaced the lid to the pot and set the spoon on the counter. Mello wondered that as well but there was more cooking to be done and he wasn't all that curious.

It was another two hours before dinner was finished and Mello was more than happy to let Matt go about serving it for them as he was tired. But not so tired that he didn't enjoy the meal he and Jasper had cooked.

"Thanks Mello." Matt smiled at him and took a bite of the spaghetti. He often wondered why Matt seemed to like it so much, it was good to have once in a while though Matt seemed like he would be happy if it were the last food on the planet.

"Oh, it's 'thanks Mello'? In case you forgot I was in here with him." Jasper grumbled though Mello could tell it was all good natured. In fact, he half suspected Matt had started it on purpose.

He seemed nervous, if the slightly strained laughter was anything to go by. Or the awkward grip he had on his fork. Mello forced himself not to dwell on it though, as Matt would tell them when he needed something.

"I hope you didn't eat too much, I made chocolate cake." Jasper commented as he stood up to get the dishes.

"I got them, you guys did all the work. Sit down." Jasper eyed Matt with a questioning gaze but sat down after a few seconds with a shrug.

"Fine by me."

"Can I assume you are bringing the chocolate cake back with you?" Mello questioned much to the amusement of the other two. He rolled his eyes and ignored them after Matt had quickly nodded.

Matt disappeared through the archway and into the kitchen leaving him and Jasper sitting in comfortable silence. Mello rubbed slightly at his stomach and knew that he had eaten too much, though there was no way he was passing up anything chocolate because of it.

Jasper snorted in amusement until he flung a napkin at him. Then he started to laugh.

Mello just ignored him after that.

Matt walked back in a few minutes later, a plate in each hand while another rested on his forearm, with a slight grin on his face. Though Mello noted that there was a napkin seated on top of each piece.

"You look like a waiter." Jasper commented as he was handed the plate from Matt's left hand. Matt set the next one, the one held in his right hand, down at his own spot which left the last piece for Mello.

"Any reason for the napkin garnish?" he asked curiously. Matt simply shrugged and moved his to the side and forked off a piece of cake. He watched as Jasper did much the same, though he regarded the napkin suspiciously as though it might potentially be something dangerous.

Mello shook his head slightly at his friends' antics and removed his own napkin only to stare unblinkingly at what lay underneath. He sucked in a quiet breath and looked up at Matt questioningly, almost anxiously.

Was he really...?

"Mello..." Matt trailed off for a second. "Mihael, will you marry me?"

Mello released the breath. That was not something he had expected Matt to ask. Ever. And yet he couldn't stop the decidedly warm sensation that sprang from the depths of his being. Sometimes the best things were the ones that were truly unexpected.

Instead of simply answering he stood up and leaned across the table to kiss the slightly startled looking redhead. Jasper whistled as they broke apart, Mello whispering a soft 'yes' against Matt's lips.

Matt was grinning like an idiot and Mello couldn't help but answer with a grin of his own. Mello decided that if every wrong turn in his life had lead him to that moment, then he would never regret the what if's.

Because being with Matt was simply too amazing for words to explain, and he honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

-End-

AN: K, honestly, who didn't see that coming with the poll you all voted on? Was it alright? *is wondering what beta thinks* So this is the last chapter! This beast of a series is complete! No more. All loose ends are tied up and issues somewhat resolved. Everyone happy though?

Thoughts on this?